“I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Rom7v21-23 KJV If Paul’s experience, like ours, is that there is always evil present, how asks the special creationist could Adam & Eve be described as a very good? How could Adam & Eve have no knowledge of good and evil if they had a mind like ours and so evil was present with them? As has been referenced in other posts, the expression knowing good and evil is used of a maturing process applicable to humans post the Fall. It does not of itself indicate a pure mind/very good/unusual state of affairs. So how could mind like ours be described as very good? This question is framed with a supposition that “very good” has a moral connotation. This is not the case as the context shows for the phrase applies to inanimate objects, animals and mankind in Gen 1v31. Per previous posts I suggest it is nothing more than an emphatic repetition of the conclusion that the things made were well made and fit for Gods purpose. However further damaging to the claim that “very good” couldn’t apply to our biased mind is found in the rest of scripture where we find language like the “pure in heart” Matt5v8, “good” Psa37v23, “a just man and perfect in his generations” Gen6v9. Examples of more can be multiplied but three ought to be ample. In terms of the evil present it is important to note Paul is conscious of the evil present with him due to the presence of law and him breaking it. It was law which taught Paul (and us) of both lust and sin Rom7v7. This is worth emphasis. The LAW brought KNOWLEDGE of evil. That is the specific testimony of Paul regarding his own circumstances. It was the knowledge of the law which brought Paul to recognise the limitations of his own mind and that “evil [is] present with me” v21. So too with Adam and Eve. The knowledge of good and evil came through breaking of the one law which scripture reveals as applicable to them. What of their daily interaction with the Elohim and learning of the principles of life thereby? There is no record of them. There is only one law recorded and it would be prudent to not be dogmatic about other possibilities. We could observe further that Paul says nothing about a change in nature and doesn’t reference the garden of Eden in Rom7. He is talking about the struggle to be obedient which all the faithful experience and the impossibility of being saved without the work of our Lord Rom7v25. So does Paul’s description of the evil in his mind preclude Adam and Eve having our proness? No - I suggest the passage neither supports nor denies the proposition. The passage simply reinforces the reality that law brings a knowledge of lust/sin/evil.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 20:53:00 +0000
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